Scooter Did A Bad Thing

It’s me, Scooter. I did a bad thing. I wanted to go out last night, you know, to be OUTSIDE. There are things outside that I like. One of them was furry and soft with a long tail. Mom couldn’t see it, but she didn’t know where to look either. I was barking at it through the “slide-y” door. Mom wanted to go to bed and that means I had to go out one last time. She was afraid I’d chase the thing out there so she hooked me up to the 50-foot leash. We do that sometimes.

The other end of the leash is hooked to a big eye screw in the part of the deck that isn’t attached to the rest of the deck. It is just a platform to step on because the deck is lower than the house. There’s a handrail on it. Dad is the only one who can move it because it is very heavy.

As soon as Mom hooked the leash to my collar, I did the bad thing. I took off running. She tried to hold the leash to slow me down, but I was running real fast. She let go because the leash was going through her hands so fast it was starting to spark.

Fifty feet is a long leash. Mom yelled the whole length of the leash at me to STOP! But I wanted to visit with the furry soft thing that has a long tail. And it was running away from me and that made me want to run faster.

Then I came to the end of my leash.

Mom was standing on the deck part that isn’t attached to the rest of the deck and now it isn’t attached to the rest of the deck even more than usual. About 3 feet more than usual. Dad estimated that the deck that isn’t attached to the rest of the deck plus Mom has to weigh at least 200 pounds. I weigh about 70. (There is a math story problem in there somewhere.)

Mom was still standing after I dragged the deck. But the furry soft thing with the long tail started to run again. So I ran again too. Mom wasn’t expecting to surf the deck a second time so she kind of fell backwards. Luckily, “Old Flamingo Legs” caught herself in time and was still vertical when I remembered, again, that I was still attached to the part of the deck that isn’t attached to the rest of the deck. Her left foot stepped back and then down. Way down. To the part of the deck that didn’t move. Now her left leg doesn’t move like it used to.

Most importantly I am fine. I can still bark as loud as ever. Neither of my eyes popped out of my head. My neck isn’t kinked. There are no black and blue marks between my fur hairs (Mom checked) and I seem to be as perfect as I was before.

I am hoping my friend is in the back yard again tonight!

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Scooter my dog Pele is very fond of chasing rabbits and often the local rabbits seem to just run out of range of our extendable leash. One day when I was running she pounced on a baby bunny and lets just say it went on to its next life. Of course Pele was thrilled being the great poodle hunter that she is.

So…did your Mom break a leg?! I have ground squirrels under a wooden step that Grandpa made and I like to take a flying leap to try to catch them. Gramma wonders what I will do if I ever catch one. Me too. -Ollie

Yes, you can still sew with the right foot! So glad you are not badly injured.
Possum have rat tails, not bushy. Bushy could be a raccoon, cat, skunk, coyote, or deer.
My first Airedale had many evening meetings with skunks. Our current dog seems to flush out racoons. Deer are not afraid of the neighborhood dogs and eat in our yard in the daytime, but walk the streets at night. Sometimes we hear the howling coyotes. One would think we live in the country. Nope, suburbia!

Our last dog used to hate rooks and crows, and would belt down the garden to try to catch them, leaping high as they effortlessly took off and flew up to sit on the roof and laugh at him. He couldn’t work out why he couldn’t fly gggg Hope you are OK Ami.

I have been a little glum the past two days after learning that my son is being deployed for the fourth time. The MN National Guard are being sent to Western Africa. Thanks for giving me fun tears this morning. I really needed a good laugh, just sorry it is at the expense of mom’s leg.

Hi Scooter! Snickers here. I hear you about the furry things in YOUR backyard. The nerve of them to enter our territory! One time, my sister, Sugar, (she’s gone to the Rainbow Bridge now) and I tag-teamed a rabbit. Mom was mad & said that bunnies are our friends. Yeah, right! They’re just like those nasty squirrels & other furry things that are in MY yard! Glad you weren’t hurt protecting your yard and family from those furry rodents, but next time, be careful not to hurt any of your family. They feed you, you know!
Love & licks, Snickers Flock

Opossum, skunk, raccoon – bad animals all when chased by an over-enthusiastic dog who, by their understanding, is out too late and interfering with their night-time foraging. There is a rightness to sharing this planet we are co-existing in so closely these days – balance, Scooter, balance. Now your mom, Ami, knows a thing or two about balance, too. Scooter, you would be on nighttime detention and a very early curfew for the duration…any night-time encounter will bring no good to all parties – you, critter of any kind, and Mom. Just sayin’ – story was more surprising and worrisome than funny because of inevitable outcome. So, sorry, Ami. Best wishes and prompt healing for you.

I hope mom is at least as okay as you are. You both had more than enough adventure/trauma, not to mention the soft furry long tailed thing. Scooter, dear, you need to be taking better care of your mom. She has important Grama stuff to do!

Hi, Scooter, Rufus here. I love chasing critters. I don’t care what kind, either! If if moves, I chase it! We live in Florida so we have lots of lizards to chase. They are pretty fast. I use to chase, and catch, possums. They don’t come around so much any more. The worst is an evil squirrel that climbs all over the screened cage around the pool. He knows that I can’t get him, but he taunts me. If I get really upset, my mom gets out the hose and squirts it until it goes away. Then she squirts me and I chase the water and get all wet and have lots of fun. Then I go in the house and shake before mom can towel me off. She gets upset at me then.

Scooter, my dog Lacey (she’s at the Rainbow Bridge too) could tell you about those soft, furry things with the long black tails that have extra long white stripes. She decided to get “nosey” with one on an occasion, and daddy blew a gasket when she came in the “slide-y” door and wiped her phewwy face all over the bedroom rug. She had to have a tomato juice bath at 3 AM, and mom made Lacey let her take her picture too. And we all remembered THAT adventure for quite a while. Maybe you should help dad attach the part of the deck that isn’t attached to the deck to the deck, yes? Glad mom is alright too.

Scooter ….really “Old Flamingo Legs” and mom weighs 200# that is naughty! If Santa passes your house this Christmas you’ll know why lol lol.
So glad to hear that neither of you were seriously hurt ..and Scooter wild furry things outside could make you sick so be a good boy !!!!
Great story Ami always loved your great sense of humor.

Scooter, NO! We dogsit Penny (yorkie poo) who chases and pounces on Jennyanydots (our kitty) — yes, it’s a furry tail — UNTIL Jenny hides and then pounces and chases Penny- this could happen to you too! You must beware of furry tails!!!

Had a Pyrenees who once dragged the entire back porch away when he caught sight of the one neighborhood dog he did not like in his front yard. I had only looped his leash around the porch rail for a few seconds while I stooped to retire one of my sneakers before our walk!

So what was the furry thing you were chasing? That sounds like lots of fun. All I ever get to chase are squirrels but they are so afraid of me they stay up in the trees so I don’t know if that is really a chase or not.
Your pal,
Otto

Oh Scooter, you’re smarter than we think. My friend used to tie her great dane up with a piece of butcher twine! My neighbor called me to tell me my German Shepherd had arrived at her front door towing the cinder block he was attached to. Smart people get smart dogs is the point of that story. I’m glad Mom is not permanently disabled and that she still likes you.

Hey, Scooter, My name is Allie and Mom has to let me out a slider thing too, One time I went out and found a little furry thing and brought it to Mom. I dropped it since Mom wouldn’t let me bring it in and it laid there a few minutes then hopped away. Mom said that was best since it was a baby bunny and needed to find its mommy.

Scooter, What a wonderful adventure you had! I’m sure you told your mom that you were sorry. But one piece of advice that I would like to suggest is that if you see a furry thing with a long tail that is black with a white stripe down the middle, PLEASE do not go after it. Your mom wouldn’t be quite as understanding as she was this time if you do! How do I know? Been there, done that!